H18.49 — Other corneal degeneration
ICD-10-CM
Prior Authorization
No Prior Auth Required
Code is covered without prior authorization (high confidence)
Documentation Required
- The medical record must document the ordering provider's assessment related to the patient's complaint prompting external ocular photography, including relevant medical history and physical exam findings supporting medical necessity.
- All external ocular photographs must be permanently labeled with the patient's name, date, and notation of which eye is pictured, and copies must be available for Medicare review.
- An interpretation and report specific to the photograph(s), including comparison to prior photographs when available, must be maintained in the medical record and available to the contractor upon request.
- If additional photographs are taken to track changes, written documentation describing those changes must be maintained in the patient's medical record.
Key Coverage Criteria
- External ocular photography is covered when ordered by an authorized/referring provider to document, diagnose, or monitor an ocular condition and when medical record documentation supports medical necessity.
- External ocular photographs are covered to track changes in a patient's ocular condition provided changes are documented in writing and compared to prior photographs when available.
- Technical (TC) and professional (26) components of external ocular photography are payable under Part B when billed with the appropriate modifier and performed in allowable places of service as specified by Medicare.
- Taped and un-taped visual field testing count as one unit of service for MUE (medically unlikely edits) purposes.
- Global visual field services (technical plus professional) are payable under Medicare Part B when billed in place of service: Office (11), Nursing Facility (32), and Independent Clinic (49).
- The technical component of visual field testing is payable under Medicare Part B when billed in place of service: Office (11), Nursing Facility (32), Independent Clinic (49), Federally Qualified Health Center (50), and Rural Health Clinic (72).
8 Active Policies
A57483 — Billing and Coding: Visual Fields
J05
L34615 — Visual Fields
J05
L33766 — Visual Field Examination
J09
A57637 — Billing and Coding: Visual Field Examination
J09
AETNA-CPB-0293 — Corneal Graft and Amniotic Membrane Transplantation, Corneal Stromal Lenticule Transplantation, Limbal Stem Cell Transplantation, or Sural Nerve Grafting for Ocular Indications
Related Codes
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